11/25/2005

So, you ate really well on Thanksgiving. You were able to avoid that horrible stomach-stretching fullness that can knock a strong man down for the count on the couch. Maybe you even ate so healthy that you feel a little deprived. Maybe you planned exactly what you wanted, worked it into your weekly plan. You did a great job!

Now, you feel like eating everything in sight!

You don’t understand it. You did so well on the holiday, but you are continually being called by the leftovers in the refrigerator. Or maybe the food court at the mall is calling to you stronger than you’ve ever heard it before. Or maybe you can’t stop thinking about that pie you DIDN’T eat.

Whatever it is, if you feel tempted, read on…

What you’re feeling is normal. There are many psychological reasons that you might make you feel the desire to binge right now and it happens to lots of people, even if they overate on the holiday. What can you do to prevent a binge that you so carefully avoided on Thanksgiving?

Divide the leftovers into small meals that can be enjoyed for a reasonable amount of calories (250 – 350 calories a meal). Don’t let the turkey or stuffing sit in a huge bowl, waiting to be consumed whole, divide everything into small servings that you can eat without guilt. The leftovers are there to be enjoyed. Let yourself enjoy them reasonably.

Freeze some of the leftovers. After you have divided them into individual meals, freeze most of them. Leave a couple of meals in the refrigerator, but freeze the rest. It’s a lot harder to binge on frozen treats because you have to take the time to heat them up in the microwave. You can’t just stand in front of the fridge, picking a few cold bites at a time.

Let yourself enjoy some of the treats in small portions. If you didn’t get to taste the cherry pie because you didn’t have enough calories left on Thanksgiving, go to a restaurant and order one slice of cherry pie. Cut the piece in half and take half home for another treat later. There are easy ways to fit your favorites into any day. You just can’t eat them all in one day.

Plan ahead when you’re shopping. Malls are notorious for having many fattening food choices available at all times. Plan what you are going to eat if you are out shopping or take a few healthy snacks with you. Don’t let the smells of the food court catch you unaware.

You can enjoy this holiday season without gaining ten pounds, like the average person. In fact, you can actually lose weight during the Christmas season. Lots of people have done it without feeling deprivation and you can too.